Failure To Protect
by Empress Adelaide
Summary: Edward's quest to restore Al's body leads him to a situation he may not return from. How will Winry react to this news and how will affect her future? EdxWin slight Royai Chap 3 is up!
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

It was a clear night in Risembool. A full moon hung in the sky flooding the countryside with a silver light. Illuminating the tears running down Winry's face and off her chin.

"Why do you have to go?" She asked the man in front of her.

"I still need to get Al's body back no matter what the price." Edward responded. "There is a chance I won't return."

Winry wrapped her arms around his back and laid her head on his chest. She hugged him tightly taking in his scent. This might be the last time she ever has a chance to let him know exactly how much she cared about him.

Running her hands down his arms she grips both of his hands and brings his flesh hand to her mouth and kisses it. She then does the same to its metal twin. He had long ago accepted his metal limbs as part of himself. Winry took pleaser in the idea that a part of her was alwasy with him. That no matter where he was she was right beside him.

He shuddered at her touch. His breathing became irregular and strained. The feeling of her lips against his flesh was causing him to think of things that were better left unsaid and undone.

"W-Winry" he stuttered, "You have to stop. We can't do this"

"Why not Ed." She was still caressing his hands.

"I don't want to hurt you anymore then I already will. If we continue..." He was interrupted as Winry pulled his head to hers and covered his lips we her own.

"I don't care. If tonight is the only time I will have you then so be it. I would rather spend one night with you and carry it in my memory then to never have you at all."

Edward looked at the girl, no, the woman in front of him. Over the years their friendship deepened into something more intimate. To anyone else they merely acted as mechanic and client. To those who knew them it was obvious the feelings between the young adults.

Edward took a deep breath, "Then you have to promise me something."

"And what is that?"

"Promise that you will not wait for me. Promise you will not wast your life dreaming about what may never happen. I told you there is a very real possibility I may not return and it is the very real truth."

Winry looked at him, "I can't promise you that I won't wait, but I can promise you that I will live my life and not spend my days regretting what happens tonight."

The look in her eyes told Ed that it was the plain and honest truth. He kissed her hard, feeding her every emotion her possibly could. This would be their only night together, the only time they would be able to express their feelings physically.

Their love making on the river bank lasted for hours. Witnessed only by the full moon in the sky and the nocturnal wildlife of the fields.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter one

Anaka was walking down the streets in Central. Trips to the city were few and far between so while she was there the plan was to hit as many shops as possible. With all the customers that were getting it was almost impossible to close the shop for the day, let alone for an entire week. However, her mother had to make a trip to Rush Valley and her brother wanted to write the State Alchemist exam. The end result; her and her brother were staying in Central with a couple of her mothers friends.

In the last year Anaka built up her own clientèle in the automail industry and was bringing in a fair amount of her own income, with very few chances to spend it. Therefore this trip to Central was turning into a week long shopping spree. Bright and early on her third day in town and she was already on a roll. Yesterday was all about a new toolset for her workbench at the shop. Up until now she had to be content with her mothers old set.

Today was going to be about a new wardrobe! Not many boys notice a girl dressed in grease stained coveralls. She's seen this with her mother. For as long as Anaka can remember her mother has never had a boyfriend. True, the situation surrounding her and her brothers birth might have had something to do with it. Her mother, though, has never appeared uncomfortable around men, she just kind of ignored the fact they were men.

While she was pondering this strange fact of life she never noticed the wall failing toward where she was walking. Suddenly she noticed it got very dark and she finally looked up just in time to see a crumbling wall falling toward her. She screamed and put her hands up to protect her head.

Without warning she went flying out of the path of the rubble. Landing on her behind she looked up to where she had been standing moments before. Underneath the debris was a blonde man, his left leg caught under a large boulder. Shopping forgotten she ran over and checked his vital signs while a crowd gathered around.

"He's alive and needs medical attention." She yelled. Looking his leg she noticed something. There was no blood. No blood means that it was not a flesh limb, non-flesh limb means, in most cases, automail. Luckily for this guy he doesn't have to feel his leg being crushed. Unlucky because his automail was going to have to be built again from scratch and reattached, not a pleasant process.

A medical team had been called and was on the way from the military headquarters, being the closest building with a hospital facility. In order to move the blonde man his leg was going to have to be detached from the socket. Anaka took the pocket knife she kept with her at all times and cut the pant leg and exposed the metal. She found the release mechanism on the false limb easily.

'Strange', she thought, 'his automail looks a lot like mom's style but I don't recognize this man.' She didn't have to long to ponder this fact. The Medic team was arriving on the scene and she needed to remove the leg so they could move this man and get him the medical attention he needed. It was a very good chance he had a concussion, or worse. She pulled the limb out and cut off the rest of the pant leg.

Backing away Anaka watched as he was lifted onto a stretcher and into the back of the emergency vehicle. She owned him her life and didn't know his name. Well, he was going to need a mechanic and she was curious.

"Brother!"

The crowd parted as a young man pushed through to the scene of the accident. Military police personal were trying to restrain him and prevent him from seeing the wreckage area. Fear was evident in his eyes when he saw the pile of rubble, his eyes quickly picking out the piece of automail stuck under the rock.

"Where is my brother. He was here, I recognize that leg, it was his automail." He yelled.

Anaka walked over to him. If this man was a relative of the one that saved her life it would make the paperwork a hell of a lot easier.

"These men can take you too your brother, but you have to cooperate with them and answer any questions." Anaka said while trying to calm him down.

"where are they taking him? What happened? Why is his leg detached?"

Anaka took a deep breath. "They are taking him to the military hospital facility a few blocks away. He was hurt shoving me out of the way of a falling wall. His automail leg was caught under a large piece of wreckage and had to be detached so we could move him."

"What do I have to do to get to him?"

"Just talk to one of the military personal. They will ask you for information like names, address and reason for being in town."

The man looked over to the pile of rubble again spotting the leg. "Just tell me where to go."

Anaka pointed out the office who had taken over the scene. "Just talk to him. He can make arrangements for you."

Anaka watched as the man spoke to the head officer. A surprised look appear of the officers face. Another was called over and escorted the man away.

"So, who was he?" Anaka asked. She didn't do contract work for the military and not make a few friends with lose tongues.

"He said he wouldn't answer any questions until he say Roy Mustang." The officer shook his head. "I told him that you can't just ask to see Mustang and his reply was that I should tell Mustang he used to be a walking suit of armour and it would be easy enough to see him."

"That's kinda strange. A walking suit of armour? As in he always wore armour or the was as suit of armour?" Anaka was highly confused at this point.

"I think he meant he was a suit of armour. Oh well, it doesn't matter anymore. I told young Briggs there to tell Mustang just that and we will see how it goes." With that the military worker turned and waved goodbye.

"I have one more favour to ask." Anaka yelled after him. "I want to take the autmail leg to my workshop and study it."

"Knock yourself out Anaka. I will see you back at HQ later on." And with that he was gone.

Time to get to work thought Anaka. The best way to learn someones past is to study their automail. At least them I will know from what area of the country they are from.

Major General Roy Mustang was...

At a loss for words.

Officer Briggs from the Military police was standing in front of him saying that some wack job refused to answer any questions, not even his name, until he had a chance to speak with Roy Mustang. The man claimed he used to be a walking suit of armour. Mustang only knew of one person who was ever a walking suit of armour and that kid had disappeared long ago with his brother.

"I guess you will have to show him in." It was the only choice at this point.

With that a tall man was let into the room and officer Briggs left, closing the door.

"I am Major General Roy Mustang and unless your name happens to be Alphonse Elric I have a hard time believing you used to be a suit of armour." He might as well start off with a bang.

"And if I say I am Alphonse Elric what will you do?"

Roy leaned back in his chair and took a good hard look at the man in front of him. He had never actually met young Alphonse with a human body so he had no physical characteristics to compare.

"I would tell you to prove it."

"My name is Alphonse Elric, my older brother is Edward Elric the Fullmetal Alchemist. We travelled across Amestris searching for the philosophers stone. Edward had a right arm and left leg made of automail while my soul was bound to a suit of armour." Was the reply given.

"That is pretty much common knowledge to anyone who took the time to do research." Well, not exactly common, but not convincing yet.

"Ed hates milk." Bingo

That was it right there. Only a select few ever noticed Fullmetal never drank milk. It was a running joke that his hight reflected his lack of milk consumption.

"So, were is your brother?" Now to figure out the details.

Relief was visible on Al's face. "A young woman told me he was brought to the military hospital after saving her life. I would like to go see him. Also, I would like to keep quite about the fact that we are back."

"I can arrange for you to see Ed with no questions asked. I will also keep all but the bare minimum about of people ignorant of the fact you two are back." Roy had thought it would be a good idea as well.

After all, it had been fifteen years.

There was no way this automail could exist.

Maybe she missed something. It might have been too twisted to study right. She was seeing things. She had read every one of her mother journals that involved automail and all she had found were concept drawings of a design that remotely looked like this. It was her mother's work, there was no mistaking that, but why instead if a signature was there a verse.

"A leg so I can always walk beside you,

An arm so I can hold you too me,"

There was more but that was all she could make out.

Who the hell was this guy that Anaka's mother would take the time and effort into etching in a full poem. Did her mother have a romantic interest once upon a time? The idea seemed so foreign to Anaka it was laughable. Her mother had always thrown herself into her work, and then, into her children. In all fourteen years of her life Anaka had never seen her mother take any intrest in any man.

Just then there was a knock at the door.

"You might as well just come in Nathaniel. I aways know you're there before you knock." Anaka said without looking up.

"Geez, sometimes it's no fun having you as a twin sister."

"You know that we wouldn't have it any other way. Besides, if we weren't twins then one of us wouldn't exist and the other would be an only child."

If someone had been looking at them at that moment they would have said there was no way these two could be twins. The boy had a head of burnt blonde hair with brown eyes. Judging by his height everybody thought he was a least two years younger then his sister instead of two hours. The slightly older girl had yellow blonde hair, bright blue eyes and a set of toned arms that would make any hormonal teenage boy think twice about getting on her bad side.

Then there were the personality traits that just didn't match up. He loved science and alchemy, her it was art and machinery. It was easy to figure out that Anaka got her passion from her mother. However it was only a guess that her brother's obsession with alchemy was from their father's side. Eight months before their birth their mother had filed charges against a man who had raped her. The poor woman had been under the protection of the military. Something about old grudges against state Alchemists. The assailant was never found. Medical records and the victim testament both stated she had been a virgin at the time of the attack. There was no question when she conceived. Anaka and Nathaniel were born one month pre-mature. On the birth records of the twins it said;

DOB: March 23, 1920

Mother: Winry Rockbell

Father: Unknown


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2

Riza marched through the hallways of military HQ with several files under her arm. It was time that the fool caught up on his paperwork. Slacking off at a time like this, didn't he realize that the rebel faction that they had thought was neutralized was forming again in the east area of the country. Without knocking she entered her husbands office finding him leaning back in his chair, a look of contemplation on his face. Sitting across from him was a young man who seemed slightly familiar, though Riza was sure she had never seen him before. Just something reminded her of someone she once knew.

The familiar stranger turned and jumped up. "Miss Hawkeye. Boy am I glad to see you again."

"haven't been 'Miss Hawkeye' for ten years now. How do I know you?" asked Riza.

"Huh, if you're not Riza Hawkeye then..."

Roy chose this time to speak up. "Alphonse Elric meet Colonel Riza Mustang, my wife."

Riza could hardly believe it. There was no way this man could be Al. Unless the brother's had succeeded in their mission. But geez, it took them an awfully long time to get back.

"So you two finally got together. I always wondered about that. But isn't there something about not getting involved with other officers?" Alphonse had a big grin on his face.

"That order was abolished when we overthrew King Bradly," was the reply from Riza. "I take it since you are here Edward must be close by as well?"

"Ah yes, Fullmetal decided to be a hero as soon as he got back and is now in the infirmary. Al, take this paper and give it to the reciptionist down the hall, she will have someone escort you to your brother." Roy handed him a folded up note.

Al quickly thanked the Major General and left the room.

"Should we let them know the situation with Winry? Edward does have a right to know." Riza looked at her husband.

"No. I think it would be best if he heard it from her. For now tell the twins to keep quite about who their mother is." This was going to give him a headache in the future, he just knew it.

"And if the brothers find out before they see Winry again?"

"Then we get to see whether or not Fullmetal has calmed down enough to listen before jumping to conclusions like he used to." Roy hoped to the higher powers that may be it was so.

-

He tried to open his eyes but the bright lights were giving him a headache. It felt like he had a hangover but he coudn't remember drinking recently. As a matter of fact, the last thing he remember is seeing the wall of a building falling onto a girl that looked a lot like.

"WINRY," he bolted upright, regretting it a second later when the pain in he head was even worse.

"Take it easy brother. The doctor says your going to be ok. You just have a minor concussion."

He looked over at his brother. "Where is the girl I pushed? Is she ok?"

"Relax brother, she is fine," Al was trying to get his brother to settle down, but is wasn't working. Well, at least he wouldn't be going very far after he realizes he was missing something...

3, 2, 1 ...

"Where the hell is my leg?"

"It was caught under a boulder."

"Oh great. Winry is going to kill me instead of just throwing that damned wrench at my head." Edward lamented.

"I think Winry will just be too shocked to see you after all this time." Alphonse sighed, "Do you really think it's a good idea to visit her after this long. I mean, we have been gone a long time, a lot of things will have changed since then."

"You know as well as I do that we will run into her sooner or later and it's better to do it sooner. Besides, with my leg destroyed I kinda have to go see her. I still won't let anybody other then a Rockbell work on my automail."

Just then the blonde haired girl from before popped her head in.

"If it's Winry Rockbell in Risembool that your talking about your going to have to wait a few more days. She is in Rush Valley right now picking up raw materials for the shop at home," Anaka volunteered.

"Rush Vally huh? I guess she won't be back in Risembool for a while. Knowing her she will have to spend at least a week visiting Panya and Garfiel," Edward thought out loud.

"Brother, why don't you give her a call. I bet Winry would like to know you're back."

"I don't know Al. I would rather let her know in person. It will be easier to read her reaction that way. I need to know how much has changed." Maybe she moved on even though she said she wouldn't. Did she live with a purpose or was she just surviving waiting for him. She did promise to live her life and not regret what they did.

Edward looked over at the young girl that had just entered the room. Light blonde hair, blue eyes, and, judging by the grease stained overalls, a mechanic of sorts.

"Oi, what's your name? I should at least know the name of the person I destroyed my automail saving." Ed asked.

"My name is Anaka Roc... my name is Anaka. I work as a contract automail mechanic in the East." Anaka answered. "I have a lot of military customers so when I am in Central I hang around here a lot checking up on my patients."

Edward stared at her a bit more. "So why are you visiting me now?"

"I wanted to thank you for saving my life yesterday. Also Colonel Mustang has asked me to make you a new automail leg and upgrade your arm. She said that it has been a long time since you had any work done on them sir."

Now Ed was confused. "She!? Did Roy get a sex change or something?"

"No. no brother. Colonel Mustang is Riza Hawkeye." Al started to explain, "They got married five years after we left."

"Hmm, so she married Colonel Bastard huh?"

"That's Major General Bastard to you Fullmetal." The voice caused Ed to just about jump out of his skin.

"So the Flame is still burning after all these year huh?" Somethings just never change.

"Of course, I have yet to become Fuhrer and order all female personal to wear miniskirts." Ok, so the guy was still delusional even after being married. "Oh, and I know you are going to complain about having someone other then your usual mechanic work on your automail Fullmetal. Therefore, Anaka will be your mechanic for the time being, that's an order!"

"But Win...!"

"Trust me, you will not be disappointed." He looked down at Anaka. "Take his measurements and get started. I want him ready for active duty by the time your mother gets back."

"Yes sir."

Winry stretched her arms in the air. It had been a good week in Rush Valley. It wasn't often she got to visit her friends there. She had spent most of her days looking at all the latest automail models. Rush Valley had so many people working together to perfect the art of mechanical limbs that the rate of improvement was astounding. Back in Risembool she only had Grandma Pinako and her daughter to bounce ideas off, and Pinako was getting too old to work anymore.

Nathaniel had always been more interested in Alchemy, looking through all the books that had been left behind by the Elric brothers. Now he was becoming a State Alchemist. Since the reformation of the military the slogan of "Alchemists work for the people" was strongly enforced and they were no longer "Dogs of the military."

Panya was still harassing her about not finding a boyfriend yet. Not that anyone pushed her too hard about that, they had all heard the news about the rape case that happened right after Ed and Al had left for the last time. Winry sighed. It had been harder then she had thought. With the disappearance of the Elric brothers their enemies had targeted her. Riza Hawkeye, now Mustang, had been assigned to protect her. Heh, the paperwork said Riza hadn't done a very good job. Dr. Knox had signed the documents concerning the physical exam saying there was evidence of non-consensual sex. Eight months later Grandma Pinako confirmed the twins were pre-mature.

However, when you have friends in the military who are loyal to the father of your children, paperwork can lie.

-

Commander Stettler, former adviser to King Bradly, looked over the cliff at the train leaving Rush Valley. There had been rumours the last couple of days about the Elric brothers returning. True, the rumours came every couple years or so, but this time it was different. This time the description of a short, blonde with two limbs made out of automail matched up perfectly to what Stettler knew of the Fullmetal Alchemist.

Yes, that thorn in the side of a brat was going to pay for the part he played in King Bradley's death, however little it was. Fullmetal had been the catalyst for the events that took place nearly fifteen years ago.

He would use the girl to lure the brothers out. Of course, that would be after explaining to poor Edward Elric that the woman he loved had been taken by force, right after he had left. Every time he looked at Winry's children he would be reminded of the pain he failed to shield her from.

Yes, Edward "Fullmetal" Elric would see that he always failed to protect the one he loves. In the past and now.


	4. Chapter 4

"He has shown amazing skill, even for someone twice his age. This boy has natural talent and has managed to fine tune it since the last time he applied three years ago," the judge was very impressed with this boy. Fourteen years old and he could take on three testers at once. Of course the first time the young boy has taken the entrance exams everyone knew it was try to break the record that the young Fullmetal Alchemist had set at age 12. Nathaniel had tried at age 11, trying to best the man he admired but had never met.

"Well, considering he learned by reading Edward and Alphonse Elric's research notes. He also trained under Izumi Curtis." Major General Mustang was also very impressed with Winry's son.

"But with someone so young will he corrupted with the power and authority his position will give him? Being a State Alchemist is a lot of responsibility."

"I don't think that will be a problem. His family history wouldn't allow him to break the code of honour expected of him," Mustang rattled on.

"Hmm, Rockbell's huh? Family of doctors and automail mechanics. I can see what you are talking about."

Mustang grinned to himself. On that half of the family tree anyway. "I think it's time we have the Phantom Alchemist start active duty."

-

"Yes! I am now officially Major Nathaniel Rockbell, the Phantom Alchemist!" Nathaniel yelled with glee!

"Phantom Alchemist eh? I guess it works considering your speciality is changing your appearance, " Anaka said.

"I still haven't figured out how to change my height. But that's ok, everybody will underestimate me because of my height, I can use it to my advantage. It was the same thing with Fullmetal," Nathaniel reasoned.

Anaka shook her head, "I swear, you have hero-worshipped that man for as long as I can remember. And he disappeared before we were even conceived."

Nathaniel shrugged, "From all the stories Roy and Riza told us about him when we were little I figured he would be a great person to emulate. Common, in the honest circles he is a household name and in the shady areas of town people fear him."

"That's the thing, he has enemies in high places. Even mom has gone under military protection and she was just his mechanic!" Anaka shook her head and looked down at the papers in front of her.

She had found the same verse on the automail arm. This one fully legible;

"A leg so I can always walk beside you,

An arm so I can hold you to me,

When you are here the sky is blue,

And when you are not, a stormy sea"

Followed by the Rockbell signature crest.

She had been right. It was her mother's work. But who was this man?

Nathaniel looked over his sisters shoulder, "Hey, did mom have some kind of history with this guy you are working on?"

"I think she might have. Colonel Mustang told me to keep our family name a secret from this guy and his brother, something about them not taking it too well."

"What is his name anyway?" It was an honest question.

Now that she thought about it, when Major General Mustang had walked in her called her paitent...

"Fullmetal! I'm working on the Fullmetal Alchemist's automail!" The thought hit her in the head like a tonne on bricks.

"...so, mom and Fullmetal had a thing going on?"

They looked at each other for a few seconds, and started laughing as if on cue.

Tears started running down Anaka's eyes. "Ha ha ha, a major in the military with a mechanic from Risembool?"

"Ha ha ha, it was probably a one sided thing. He probably has no idea she wrote him a poem on is automail limbs."

"Besides, he was never in Risembool except to get his automail repaired and would leave right after. Not really a good bases for a relationship. Common, he was the one always looking for that thing called the philosophers stone."

"That guy probably got laid everywhere in this country! At least after he was old enough."

They calmed down after a few minutes. It really was a far-fetched thought.

"Anyway, I should get some sleep. I have to report to Roy, I mean, Major General Mustang tomorrow morning. Something about learning the ropes. I betcha I only get to train under him because him and Riza are good friends with mom. Although that means the rest of this week is going to suck. I have to work and live with him now." This was going to be interesting.

-

Didn't man know how to find a file himself? Honestly, why did she always have to go looking for things for him. The folders in Riza's hands where not hard to retrieve from the record room.

Once again heading down to Mustang's office Riza let out a sigh. Some things would just never change around here. At least at home she could tell him to keep looking and refuse sex when he complained too much.

She was too caught up in her own thoughts that she failed to see Alphonse heading in her direction. They both collided, knocking the folder and it's contents to the ground.

"I'm so sorry Riza, I'll grab that for you," was the apology.

"No, no that's fine, I can pick it up myself," Riza waved it off as fast as she could, but the damage had been done already.

He didn't try to look at it too closely, really he didn't, but the name caught his eye right away. Alphonse shook his head. It couldn't be. He looked again. The file was for a Nathaniel Rockbell, newly enlisted State Alchemist.

"Rockbell? Winry has a son?" Alphonse couldn't believe it. His brother was going to be devastated. Al knew how close his brother and childhood friend had gotten before they left. Hell, the goodbye kiss between them before they left was a little more intimate the childhood friends.

"Al, please come with me to my office," Riza was going to have a lot of explaining to do.

A few hallways later they were sitting at a desk. Waiting in silence for the other to speak. Finally Riza broke the stalemate.

"Winry had two children. Anaka and Nathaniel Rockbell, twins. They are fourteen years old."

"Edward is not going to take this very well. If they are fourteen that means almost right after we left Winry..." Al was not hearing this properly, he knew it!

"If you are worried that Winry found a new man right after your brother left you couldn't be more wrong. She is still deeply in love with Edward," this was going to be harder then she thought. How to explain what happened without revealing who the father was and without lieing? "The birth records state the father is unknown. According to police and medical records Winry was attacked and violated a month after Edward left."

"I take it he was never caught." The look in Alphonse's eyes scared even Riza Hawkeye. This was a man she knew to be the most mild tempered and reasonable people out there, yet here he was ready to commit murder against the man guilty of raping Winry.

"No, we never found the identity of the rapist. However that is not the reason why the father is listed as unknown. Winry knows exactly who fathered he children."

"Then why...?"

The answer was simple, "To keep her children safe."

-

Alphonse was disturbed by the revelation he had heard earlier that day. Winry was a mother. Winry became a mother mere months after they had left. Yet, according to Riza, Winry was still in love with Edward.

But the paperwork...

The medical and military files...

"Hey, you alright?" The voice startled Al out of his inner thoughts.

Edward was looking at him with a worried expression. "You have been quite since you came back from the emergancy food run. Something eating at you?"

Humour was not going to lighten the situation.

"It's nothing really. Everything has changed a lot while we were gone. So much has happened in the last decade and a half."

"What do you mean?" Edward bit into the apple he was holding.

Al hesitated for a bit. He promised Riza he wouldn't tell Ed. "Just generally speaking. Everyone we know have moved on and are in different stages in there lives. Look at Roy and Riza. They finally married."

"I know what you mean. The entire base seems to have gone through a staff turnover. And just a couple hours ago I saw some kid holding a State Alchemist watch the way a newly instated Alchemist does," Ed thought for a second, "The kid seemed awfully familiar, the same way the mechanic Anaka does. Almost like I should know them."

That made Al sit up straight. "How do you mean?" He knew the kid Ed was talking about was Anaka's twin brother Nathaniel.

"I don't know," he said while staring at his apple, "Like they should be part of my life. Like I should know them better then I do. Hell, it doesn't bother me that it is not Winry working on my arm but Anaka. The really strange thing is that I know I have never met them before in my life. We would have been long gone before either of those kids were born."

"Brother?"

"Yes Al?"

"How close did you and Winry get before we left?"

-

"I think she is waking up boss."

"Good, now we can start interrogating her about the Fullmetal Alchemist."

Her head hurt, like she had been knocked out. Her wrists were sore, being tied together and her shoulders hurt.

Winry was not a happy camper.

She opened her eyes to see two men standing over her. They had both been at the top of the former military power. This was not a good situation to be in. Winry had thought she was safe since she had not been attacked since the night a month after Ed and Al left.

"What do you want with me?" Winry demanded.

The one who looked like he was in charge started talking. "Oh, the little birdie had a temper. We want to know the whereabouts of the Fullmetal Alchemist of course and of all the people who know him your the most likely to keep tabs."

"I haven't seen him in over a decade. How the hell should I know where he is now!?" So, they wanted to open old wounds eh? "Besides, nobody had seen hide nor hair of him for over fifteen years!"

"Oh? But I heard he is back in Amistis. Nothing about that huge guy that followed him around though, " He paused, "Well, if you don't know where to find him I guess we will have to bring him to us." With that he pulled out a pocket knife.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Don't worry little bridie, I'm just cutting a lock of your hair. After all, we have to make him think you are in danger." He smiled with an evil grin, "And if this doesn't work we might just have a repeat of what happened when your children where conceived. After all, I did give the order for that."

So this was the man that sent that good for nothing bastard to her. The man who gave to order to take her against her will, to defile her in the worst possible way. If Riza hadn't been nearby that night might have been much much worse.

"For now though, lets just send him a letter, care of military command of course. If he is back he will end up in central sooner or later. Hmmm, should I tell him about your lost innocence and your children, or should I have you tell him when he gets here?" He thought for a bit, "No, I think I will tell him. His anger will make this much more interesting from the beginning."

No, Winry thought, he can't find out like this. This was not how Winry wanted to tell Edward about her children. The children whose father's face only she knew for sure.


End file.
